LOUIS VAN GAAL has warned his Manchester United stars he will not change a winning team.

The United manager will again leave about £180million worth of talent on the sidelines today (Sat) because he wants to keep faith with the players who produced back-to-back wins over Tottenham and Liverpool.

It means record buy Angel Di Maria, Radamel Falcao, Luke Shaw, Marcos Rojo and Adnan Januzaj will have to be content with a place on the bench for the home clash with Aston Villa, while Robin van Persie has not been rushed back into the squad even though he is fit again following an ankle injury.

After a season of chopping and changing personnel and formations, Van Gaal believes he has finally found a team with what he calls "the right balance" - and is now loathe to change it.

He said: "Of course when you play the way we did at Anfield then, as a coach, you are not willingly looking to change your team. I'm always analysing the data, the quality of our opponents and then, with my staff, I make a decision on the line up.

"But there is an English expression I believe that you never change a winning team and that's true."

GETTY

Louis van Gaal insists he will not tamper with a winning side

There is an English expression I believe that you never change a winning team and that's true

Louis van Gaal

Rejuvenated Marouane Fellani is one of the players Van Gaal says he simply cannot leave out because of his recent performances.

Fellaini has resurrected his United career with impressive displays in the last two games and continued his good form during the international break with three goals in two games for Belgium.

Fellaini endured a dismal debut season at Old Trafford following his £27.5m move form Everton but Van Gaal says he is not surprised that David Moyes' much-maligned first signing during his ill-fated 10 months in charge at Old Trafford has emerged as a key figure in United's chase for a top four place.

"I had heard a lot of stories about him," said Van Gaal. "But from the first training session he did what I asked. He was open and he wants to perform so I am not surprised [at his form].

"He had an unlucky time earlier this season because he was injured and then ill but when he has been fit he has always played for me because I was looking for a balance and he can give a lot of balance.

"When he plays as he is doing now I cannot change him."

Van Gaal may have to make one change today if Chris Smalling fails to recover from the sickness bug that forced him to be substituted during England's friendly in Italy on Tuesday.

Aston Villa manager Tim Sherwood, meanwhile, is aiming to make it back-to-back wins at Old Trafford today as he comes face to face with the man he claims was "earmarked" to succeed him at Tottenham.

Sherwood insists his relegation-threatened Villa team are capable of springing a surprise against a United side aiming to cement their top-four ambitions - and says he will take encouragement from the 2-1 triumph he masterminded on their opponents' territory with Spurs in January 2014.

Sherwood admits it was pace and a counter-attacking threat that worked for him against United, then managed by Moyes and said: "They are beatable, they have only lost two games at home all season, they have a terrific record at Old Trafford but every team can beat anyone in this division."